France 1809-W 1/2 franc

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Stack's Bowers June 2026 World Premier Collectors Choice Auction, part of lot 71363
SB626-71363b.jpg

This specimen was part of lot 71363 in Stack's Bowers June 2026 World Premier Collectors Choice Auction (Costa Mesa, CA, June 2026), which sold for $793. The catalog description[1] noted, "FRANCE. Empire. Group of Demi-Francs (1/2 Franc) (10 Pieces), 1809-13. Napoleon I. Grade Range: EXTREMELY FINE Details to ABOUT UNCIRCULATED. 1) 1809-W, Lille. ABOUT UNCIRCULATED. 2) 1810-A, Paris. ABOUT UNCIRCULATED. Cleaned, Scratched. 3) 1810-D, Lyon. ABOUT UNCIRCULATED. Cleaned. 4) 1810-K, Bordeaux. EXTREMELY FINE. Cleaned. 5) 1811-D, Lyon. EXTREMELY FINE. 6) 1811-K, Bordeaux. EXTREMELY FINE. Cleaned. 7) 1812-H, La Rochelle. EXTREMELY FINE. Cleaned. 8) 1812-K, Bordeaux. EXTREMELY FINE. Cleaned, Environmental Damage. 9) 1811-W, Lille. EXTREMELY FINE. Scratched. 10) 1813-Q, Perpignan. EXTREMELY FINE. Cleaned SOLD AS IS/NO RETURNS. From the Richard Margolis Collection." This type was struck 1809-14 during the reign of Napoleon I from 16 mints. The specimen shown is from Lille and is fairly common. Many issues of this type are known from a handful (<10) of examples. The type is not difficult to find but is expensive in high grade. In 1809, the reverse legend was changed from "REPUBLIQUE FRANÇAISE" to "EMPIRE FRANÇAIS". All half francs issued prior to 1859, including this one, were demonetized in 1869 to make way for the succeeding issue which was only 0.835 fine.

Recorded mintage: 313,712.

Specification: 2.5 grams, 0.900 fine silver, 18 mm diameter, plain edge. Designed by Pierre Joseph Tiolier, 1763-1819.

Catalog reference: F.178/9, KM-691.15; Gad-399.

Source:

  • Gadoury, Victor, Monnaies Françaises, 1789-2019, 24me éd., Monaco: Éditions Victor Gadoury, 2019.
  • Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1901-2000, 47th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
  • Prieur, Michel, and Laurent Schmitt, Le Franc 10: Les Monnaies, Paris: Éditions les Chevau-légers, 2014.
  • [1]Orsini, Matt, Kyle Ponterio and Jeremy Bostwick, June 2026 World Premier Collectors Choice Auction - Selections from the L.E. Bruun Collection, the Richard Margolis Collection and the Kirk Menczer Collection of Republican Reales Minors, Costa Mesa, CA: Stack's Bowers Galleries, Inc., 2026.

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